“What if I said no?”
“I would ask for your man card.”
“I can drive a stick. There are robes in the closet just over there. Enjoy.” Logan pecked the top of my head before bowing out of the room to let me soak in the luxury I would have liked to grow accustomed to.
After stripping down, I sank into the warm floral water.
This is living.
Everything in the world melted away as I let my mind clear to just enjoy the moment. Seemingly, everything was falling into place—but what if it was all too good to be true?
Cue the rapid-fire racing of thoughts. Serenity never lasted long with me. I lacked the talent of clearing my mind, and it made me wildly jealous of people who meditate or enjoy yoga. I just wasn’t built that way.
I started to panic. Scrambling out of the tub, I grabbed a robe, drained the water, and started to pace across the plush carpeted floor in the bedroom.
What if we are insane?
What if this all goes south?
It inevitably will.
Someone is going to get hurt.
I felt trapped. Logan had my car, so I couldn’t bolt. He’d planned this. He was right—I was a flight risk.
Just as I was about to plan out an exit strategy, Logan appeared in the doorway.
“Everything all right?” He was holding two glasses of red wine as he made his way over to me.
How did I not hear him come in?
“Yeah, of course,” I lied.
“I half thought I would find you sleeping in that tub.” He set the wine on the nightstand before joining me in the middle of the room. “Thank you for staying here tonight.”
“I didn’t think this through. I don’t have a change of clothes, a toothbrush, my makeup—I should really go home and just see you in the morning.”
Logan grabbed my arm to stop my retreat into the bathroom to retrieve my clothing. “I can wash your clothes or buy you new ones in the morning. We have extra toothbrushes here, and you don’t need makeup, Ari. You’re stunning.”
“You’ve never seen me without makeup—you don’t know how much I resemble Shrek when I first get up.”
He bowed his head. “I saw you the morning after the wedding, no makeup, and I stand firm on my comment about you being stunning. If you are more comfortable going home, I understand, but please know you don’t have to.”
“That dress can only be washed on delicate,” I explained, grabbing a glass from the side table and taking a long sip.
“Easy.”
“And you’re going to buy me makeup tomorrow. I’ll need it for the ball anyway.”
“Sounds fair.”
“Why are you so nice to me?”
He breathed out slowly. “Because you deserve it.”
